Fire retardant shaft wall

ABSTRACT

A wall construction adapted for enclosing an elevator shaft particularly suited for erection solely from one side thereof and resistant to normal distortions resulting from the heat of fire within the shaft.



1. An air shaft cavity wall in a building generally surrounding a vertical air shaft extending continuously through at least two stories and subjected to destructive wind loading, the wall comprising at least one floor and adjacent ceiling cut away to define the continuous shaft therethrough, a plurality of liner panel members, a plurality of studs engaging the liner members, at least one partition member spaced away from the liner members by the studs so as to form an air gap between the partition member and a corresponding one of the liner members, means for mounting the stud in a vertical disposition, said stud-mounting means comprising a floor runner attached to said floor, and means permitting said liner members and the studs to be inserted within the runner from only the side of the wall opposite to the shaft side.
 2. The wall as defined in claim 1, wherein some of said studs are each a one-piece metal channel having means for engaging the liner members on more than one vertical side thereof, said wall comprising means for engaging the liner members on three vertical sides thereof.
 3. The wall as defined in claim 2, wherein said partition member comprises two continuous rows of wall-board panels.
 4. The wall as defined in claim 2, and further including a base as an integral part of said stud for supporting the partition member, the base having no openings therethrough.
 5. An air shaft wall in a building generally surrounding a vertical air shaft extending continuously through at least two stories and capable of generating destructive wind loading, the wall comprising at least one floor and one adjacent ceiling cut away to define the continuous shaft therethrough, means for mounting a stud in a vertical disposition, said studmounting means comprising a floor runner attached to said floor, said runner having at least one flange, at least two liner panel members one side of which is exposed to the shaft, means for abutting said one side to the flange of the runner, at least one stud characterized by means for engaging said liner members on more than one vertical side thereof, means for engaging said liner members on three vertical sides thereof, and means for erecting at least one partition member away from the shaft and spaced from said liner members so as to leave an air gap there-between, said erecting means being independent of said liner members.
 6. An air shaft cavity wall in a building generally surrounding a vertical air shaft extending continuously, the wall comprising at least one floor having an edge adjacent the continuous shaft, a plurality of liner panel members, a plurality of studs engaging the liner members, at least one partition member spaced away from the liner members by the studs so as to form an air gap between the partition member and a corresponding one of the liner members, means for mounting the stud in a vertical disposition, said stud-mounting means comprising a floor runner attached to said floor, and means permitting said liner members and the studs to be inserted within the runner from only the side of the wall opposite to the shaft side.
 7. The wall as defined in claim 6, wherein some of said studs are each a one-piece metal channel having means for engaging the liner members on more than one vertical side thereof; said wall comprising means, including said engaging means of said one-piece metal channel and independent of said floor runner, for engaging said liner members on three vertical sides thereof.
 8. The wall as defined in claim 6 wherein said shaft is an elevator shaft.
 9. An air shaft wall in a building generally surrounding a vertical air shaft extending continuously, the wall comprising at least one floor having an edge adjacent the continuous shaft, means for mounting a stud in a vertical disposition, said stud-mounting means comprising a floor runner attached to said floor, said runner having at leasT one flange, at least two liner panel members one side of which is exposed to the shaft, means for abutting said one side to the flange of the runner, at least one stud characterized by means for engaging said liner members on more than one vertical side thereof, means, including said engaging means of said stud and independent of said floor runner, for engaging the liner members on three vertical sides thereof, and means for erecting at least one partition member away from the shaft and spaced from said liner members so as to leave an air gap therebetween, said erecting means being independent of said liner members.
 10. The wall as recited in claim 9 wherein said shaft is an elevator shaft.
 11. The wall as defined in claim 5 wherein: said means for abutting said one side of the liner panel members to the flange of the runner includes said means for engaging the liner members on three vertical sides thereof; and said means for engaging the liner members on three vertical sides thereof comprises means for abutting but not attaching said one side of the liner panel members to the flange of the runner.
 12. The wall as defined in claim 11 and comprising: screw means for attaching said one side of the liner panel members to the flange of the runner.
 13. An air shaft cavity wall as recited in claim 1 wherein said liner panel members each have one side facing said shaft and said wall comprises means, including means on each stud for abutting said one side of a liner panel member, permitting said liner panel members and the studs to be assembled in said wall without preassembly of the liner panel members and the studs.
 14. An air shaft cavity wall as recited in claim 6 wherein said liner panel members each have one side facing said shaft and said wall comprises means, including means on each stud for abutting said one side of a liner panel member, permitting said liner panel members and the studs to be assembled in said wall without preassembly of the liner panel members and the studs. 